Cancellara should leave leopard trek

[Christian]

He could have won this years race. But threw a hissy fit. He should've caught the front group and then dropped them all on the cobbles like last year. He must not have the form of last year and felt he couldn't do that but todays 2nd place to me shows he could've.

“I told them that they should pull,” Cancellara said during a post-race press conference. “This was the way to maybe make their chance for the win. Last week, I had a bad moment before the Muur. Today there could have been a crash or a mechanical. I had to stop the effort because for me the race would have been over. If I continued to pull with Thor on my wheel and Ballan there too, it would have been impossible to win.”

http://www.leopardtrek.lu/news/fabian-cancellara-second-paris-roubaix

 

[flicker]

Cancellara's biggest mistake was last year racing away and hammering everybody by so much and making it look so easy that this year no one else is going to work with him and everyone will ride against him. His celebrations last year to the camera on his way to the line must have píssed off riders, smiling and showing his lucky charm etc...so what does he expect this year?????

He could have won this years race. But threw a hissy fit. He should've caught the front group and then dropped them all on the cobbles like last year. He must not have the form of last year and felt he couldn't do that but todays 2nd place to me shows he could've.

Right on, he made everyone else look like dirt last year. I am glad Cancellara got worked this year, a good learning lesson for him. Just goes to prove there was only one Eddy Merckx.

 

[Cobblestones]

Last week, he was too cocky, bonked, and was caught. Today, he gave up the chase and never caught the leader. I wonder what might have happened had he decided differently both times.

 

[c&cfan]

Right on, he made everyone else look like dirt last year. I am glad Cancellara got worked this year, a good learning lesson for him. Just goes to prove there was only one Eddy Merckx.

yes. there's only one mister anphetamine
there's only one mister steroid abuser.
only one mister "any drug possible to use"
there's only one guy that was busted when new doping tests were available
there's only one guy with his own team (of junkies) that had the benefit to race to win just against 5 others junkies (not at the same level than him) with the same racing program.

there's only one merckx.

however... what canc did last year and this year, as a professional cyclist, was more dificult and amazing than what merckx ever did.

the same can be said about lots of other modern cyclists.

thanks canc. thanks for making us sad when you loose, happy when you win, not only because of your talent, but because of your warrior instint.

 

[luckyboy]

This is Cancellara, riding in a time where the methods of doping + the products used are way more effective than anything Merckx had.

 

[c&cfan]

This is Cancellara, riding in a time where the methods of doping + the products used are way more effective than anything Merckx had.

more effective than pure steroids anphetamines and any new drug available (just for him as the doping controls showed. sometimes the only one busted) against a field of just 10 (max) real contenders(the same guys in every race.)??

lol..

what are you going to say now? riders of those eras were better and were able to sprint and climb so will always be the best ever even knowing that they were just amateurs (and junkies)?

i respect them as tough men. not as cyclists. this is a professional and specialized sport now.

that's the same that saying that fangio was the best ever because he could make laps 5second faster then the number 2. however shumi was only able to go 2 seconds faster. lol

diferent engines.. with tactics and choices (climb or sprint)

 

[BroDeal]

This is Cancellara, riding in a time where the methods of doping + the products used are way more effective than anything Merckx had.

Don't try to use facts. Fanboy is upset that everyone figured out that Armstrong is a fraud, and now he wants to make himself feel better by running down Merckx. Everyone knows that taking amphetamines during an era where doping was a foul that resulted in a time penalty is the same as taking EPO in an era where it was outright cheating and resulted in disqualification plus a lengthy suspension.

 

[Sophistic]

Why the hell is Voigt not doing the cobbles???

 

[c&cfan]

Don't try to use facts. Fanboy is upset that everyone figured out that Armstrong is a fraud, and now he wants to make himself feel better by running down Merckx. Everyone knows that taking amphetamines during an era where doping was a foul that resulted in a time penalty is the same as taking EPO in an era where it was outright cheating and resulted in disqualification plus a lengthy suspension.

why dont you see the part of "only guy to get busted when a new test is on" and "only guy with his own team" against amateurs with the same racing programme and skillset of abilities?

yes i am a cancellara fan.

merckx was good. the greatest?no. no better than armstrong for example.

 

[BroDeal]

Why the hell is Voigt not doing the cobbles???

He was misinformed that radios would not be allowed so he thought it would be too dangerous to ride.

 

[Moose McKnuckles]

He was misinformed that radios would not be allowed so he thought it would be too dangerous to ride.

Oh snap. That ain't right.

 

[El Pistolero]

Cancellara should join a team with the golden 3 in the classics: Him, Gilbert and Boonen.

Imagine the power

 

[flicker]

yes. there's only one mister anphetamine
there's only one mister steroid abuser.
only one mister "any drug possible to use"
there's only one guy that was busted when new doping tests were available
there's only one guy with his own team (of junkies) that had the benefit to race to win just against 5 others junkies (not at the same level than him) with the same racing program.

there's only one merckx.

however... what canc did last year and this year, as a professional cyclist, was more dificult and amazing than what merckx ever did.

the same can be said about lots of other modern cyclists.

thanks canc. thanks for making us sad when you loose, happy when you win, not only because of your talent, but because of your warrior instint.

Sorry I never knew Eddy tested positive for steroids, oh well, learn something everyday.

 

[Archibald]

yes. there's only one mister anphetamine
there's only one mister steroid abuser.
only one mister "any drug possible to use"
there's only one guy that was busted when new doping tests were available
there's only one guy with his own team (of junkies) that had the benefit to race to win just against 5 others junkies (not at the same level than him) with the same racing program.

this sounds familiar, but we're not talking about le Tour...

 

[Christian]

To get back on topic:

Garmin had 4 riders in the top 25
LEOPARD TREK's only other finishers besides Cancellara were Martin Mortensen in 94th and Stuart O'Grady HD ...

 

[brianf7]

There wouldnt be many support rider who could keep up with him anyway
any rider who can is on another team and looking for a win him self.

Boonan had no team support he just stood there and watched the race go by with no spare bike or team member is sight.

 

[roundabout]

I think it's a shame when a team that has an overwhelming favourite for cobblestone races doesn't provide him with reliable support.

I also think that Cancellara should try hilly classics now as he has nothing left to prove on the cobbles. However i doubt that the team management would agree.

 

[ergmonkey]

If Cancellara wants a new team, it should be no problem.

He'll just have to decide he wants to mope around and break his existing contract, then quit the Vuelta ahead of schedule to avoid ever having to speak face-to-face with the team director he's about to screw over.

 

[Christian]

Boonan had no team support he just stood there and watched the race go by with no spare bike or team member is sight.

I think at that point Chavanel must have been either with him or ahead of him, he was well-placed after the forest IIRC. Plus Steegmans wanted to stop but Boonen just waved him on

I believe Cancellara had 2 team mates with him after the forest, O'Grady and likely Martin Mortensen, which is okay but they would have needed one in the group ahead as well. Also one of them would have needed to stay closer to the Cancellara/Hushovd/Ballan group, so that he could come back when they slowed down. Whoever the 2 guys were they faded away pretty badly, and it's not like they took long turns pulling the peloton. Of course it could also be that they crashed or had mechanicals (someone said in a different thread that O'Grady had a mechanical)

 

[roundabout]

I don't get how he screwed Riis over, but ok. You obviously have a long memory and like the baldy.

 

[Christian]

I think it's a shame when a team that has an overwhelming favourite for cobblestone races doesn't provide him with reliable support.

I also think that Cancellara should try hilly classics now as he has nothing left to prove on the cobbles. However i doubt that the team management would agree.

Well on paper it's decent support, or at least not much worse than at Saxo Bank last year ... it's maybe just that no one noticed last year since he didn't need any domestiques. This year he could have used them but they weren't there. They did good work in MSR, but those were different riders - Bennati, Wegmann and Gerdemann for example.

As for the hilly classics I completely agree - he honoured all three monuments this season and his status with the nr. 1 bib. I think it would be a good moment to stop and start something new. Plus he doesn't have 10 more years to go for Lombardia and Liège, he should get on that soon

 

[ergmonkey]

I don't get how he screwed Riis over, but ok. You obviously have a long memory and like the baldy.

I like and dislike different aspects of Riis and of Cancellara.

As for how Cancellara abused Saxo Bank at the end of last season, there was no explicit buy-out clause in Cancellara's contract, but Cancellara made it clear by uncooperative and uncharacteristically unmotivated behavior that he was no longer willing to honor his obligations to ride for Saxo Bank. Riis flew to Spain specifically to meet with Cancellara, but FC quit the race early to avoid having to face Riis at the time. The clear message was that FC was no longer willing to deal/ride with Saxo Bank, even if his contract said he still had to. Eventually Riis brokered a deal for FC's release rather than forcing a sourpuss to stay on board.

This link hardly tells the whole story, but will at least get you started:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5717/Fabian-Cancellara-buys-himself-out-of-Saxo-Bank-contract.aspx

 

[icefire]

I like and dislike different aspects of Riis and of Cancellara.

As for how Cancellara abused Saxo Bank at the end of last season, there was no explicit buy-out clause in Cancellara's contract, but Cancellara made it clear by uncooperative and uncharacteristically unmotivated behavior that he was no longer willing to honor his obligations to ride for Saxo Bank. Riis flew to Spain specifically to meet with Cancellara, but FC quit the race early to avoid having to face Riis at the time. The clear message was that FC was no longer willing to deal/ride with Saxo Bank, even if his contract said he still had to. Eventually Riis brokered a deal for FC's release rather than forcing a sourpuss to stay on board.

This link hardly tells the whole story, but will at least get you started:

http://www.velonation.com/News/ID/5717/Fabian-Cancellara-buys-himself-out-of-Saxo-Bank-contract.aspx

There are a few facts in your post that are not true. Riis flew to Spain at the end of the first week of the Vuelta. Andy and O'Grady were sent back home after stage 9. Cancellara quit the race in stage 19. I perfectly recall Fabian setting the pace on the way up the Alto da Cobertoria in the stage that finished at Cotobello where Fränk was second after Euskaltel rider Mikel Nieve. That stage was on the Monday in the last week. He was 3rd in ITT 2 days after. He abandoned in stage 19, missing the last mountain stage to Bola del Mundo. You may question how hard he rode, but he did not quit early to avoid meeting Riis.

 

[on3m@n@rmy]

well, it just shows what it all needs for a win. it's not that easy. and people will always remember wins only. so close in all three monuments this year, but not own one... nobody remembers in five years...

True. And not one win in the 3 monuments this year could mean he regrets leaving SB. I know others don't necessarly think he regrets his choice to leave SB for various reasons. But consider this: seeing as how Canc has 5 monument wins in his career, adding a couple more wins in the monuments this year would pull him closer to Boonen's total of 10 monument wins. Does that factor into what he feels about leaving SB? I dunno... just a thought.

 

[Cobblestones]

True. And not one win in the 3 monuments this year could mean he regrets leaving SB. I know others don't necessarly think he regrets his choice to leave SB for various reasons. But consider this: seeing as how Canc has 5 monument wins in his career, adding a couple more wins in the monuments this year would pull him closer to Boonen's total of 10 monument wins. Does that factor into what he feels about leaving SB? I dunno... just a thought.

I don't know what counts as monuments elsewhere, but convention says Boonen has 5, Cancellara 4